. . . Identified by consumer survey as most admired and fastest growing e-commerce company on the continent

A new consumer-focused survey has projected Konga as the most admired and innovative e-commerce company on the African continent.

The survey, which was published on March 15, 2023, coincided with the World Consumer Rights Day.

The market-wide consumer-based survey examined the current state, performance and growth path of e-commerce in Africa. The poll, which cut across multiple consumer layers from youths to middle age and Boomers returned a promising verdict on Konga, identifying it as the fastest growing e-commerce company in Africa.

The survey carried out by DigiPundits, a pan-Africa digital research and marketing firm returned the same verdict on Konga as previous independent surveys, all of which placed Konga top of the pack in the areas of pocket-friendly pricing, operational efficiency, and the courage to take responsibility whenever a hitch occurs.

When asked which of the e-commerce companies in Africa they would wish to work with, most of the respondents, mainly youths, said they preferred Konga as a potential workplace of choice.

Respondents described Konga as highly responsive, ambitious and bullish in its deployment of technology to scale-up operations. They also ranked Konga high as a responsible corporate citizen. Respondents recalled that during the Covid-19 lockdown when they had to rely more on e-shopping, Konga stood out not only in making sure that prices of goods were heavily discounted with free, real-time delivery, but also in going a step further to supply thousands of families nationwide with essential food items, free of charge.

In addition, Konga was adjudged the most emotionally intelligent e-commerce company. Its partnership with a number of big brands ensured that consumers got their household needs with free toppings delivered to them hassles-free during the lockdown. Indeed, Konga’s strategic partnerships with manufacturers of sundry consumer goods has made it a one-stop shop for diverse brands of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) which has triggered a spike in traffic to Konga’s online platform and physical stores.

The e-commerce giant’s unique composite - online-offline model - was also cited as a unique differentiator over competition. The existence of Konga brick-and-mortar stores nearer to the people across the country has made it easier for the e-commerce company to deliver goods and respond to emergencies ahead of others, the survey noted.

Respondents to the survey questions also cited ease of payment on Konga platform as one of the reasons they are loyal to the brand. Konga launched KongaPay in 2015 in partnership with Nigerian commercial banks to ease the bottlenecks and check insecurity associated with online payments. KongaPay, a secure and easy-to-use payment app for Konga customers and other users, stood out above the rest as it comes bundled with internal security and full compliance with extant KYC regulations that gives online payers peace of mind.

This innovation has, over the years, protected online shoppers on Konga platform against cyber crooks when they share sensitive information such as their bank or credit card details, contact information and address while processing transactions. KongaPay mirrors the Amazon payment platform with its convenient payment features. The CBN-licensed mobile money wallet has equally been fully integrated with many banks in Nigeria which makes payment for transactions seamless and safe.

Konga was founded in July 2012 with just 20 staff. But it has grown to an e-commerce giant in Africa with over 800 staff. It has received rave reviews as the most customer-friendly e-commerce company which unlike much of the competition, has a pedigree for vending original products because of its strong liaisons with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Respondents to the survey disclosed that Konga has built a reputation for stocking only genuine products, thereby taking a stand against selling fake or substandard products. It practices What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) which keeps it several steps ahead of the competition. Many respondents complained that often, some e-commerce companies advertise a product of superior quality but deliver the very opposite of what was advertised: a product of very poor quality.

Konga was acquired by the Zinox Group, a leading tech powerhouse, in early 2018 in what was regarded as the biggest corporate coup in Africa’s ICT ecosystem. Nobody saw it coming but that ambitious acquisition of Konga by Zinox Group and its subsequent merger with Yudala, another market maverick under the Group, has completely reset Nigeria, nay Africa, e-commerce market.

Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Morocco and Egypt were rated the top five e-commerce markets in Africa in the report.

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